On Friday, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark participated at Copenhagen University’s annual birthday celebration. Copenhagen University has annually, since its founding in 1479, celebrated their birthday, and as usual, the Danish Royal Family were represented. This year was no exception. Queen Margrethe has herself studied at Copenhagen University. The Queen studied philosophy in Copenhagen before she studied both

This year was no exception. Queen Margrethe has herself studied at Copenhagen University. The Queen studied philosophy in Copenhagen before she studied both archaeology and political science at various Danish and British universities.

Representatives from the university management welcomed the Queen. At Copenhagen University’s birthday, the Queen was got to hear music from several of Denmark’s leading musicians. The university headmaster, Niels Strandberg Pedersen, gave a speech, as did the University’s previous headmaster, Ralf Hemmingsen. Copenhagen University’s choir also performed a variety of songs in honour of the Queen.

Copenhagen’s Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty of Medicine is one of the oldest faculties at the University. Photo: Xiquinhosilva via Wikimedia.

For Copenhagen University’s annual celebration, the headmaster and the faculty managements invite both student representatives from the university as well as this year’s honorary doctors and prize winners. In addition, representatives from research councils, foundations, the government departments and representatives from other universities are invited. In total, there are about 700 guests.

The university was inaugurated 1 June 1479 by King Christian I after he had received permission from Pope Sixtus IV to its founding in 1475. After the German model at the university had four faculties; theology, law, medicine, and philosophy. Many Danish royals have attended the University of Copenhagen, not only Queen Margrethe. It is not always the Queen that are attending the annual celebration of the University of Copenhagen. In 2012 it was Prince Henrik, the Queen’s husband, who participated in the celebration. The Royal Family is often at the university also beside the annual celebration. The university banquet hall is used annually for several award-ceremony’s as the royal family often guests. As recently as April this year Crown Princess Mary handed out a prize in the banquet hall.